Man sentenced in OH festival crash in jail again

Published: September 4, 2012 5:25PM

BATAVIA, Ohio (AP) -- A man sentenced to prison for driving his car into a crowd at a 1999 street festival and injuring several people is in a southwest Ohio jail.

Michael Cowperthwaite (cow-per-THWAYT') lost his license for life in 2000 and was sentenced to 13 years when he was convicted in Hamilton County of aggravated vehicular assault, felonious assault and inducing panic at Cincinnati's 1999 Oktoberfest. He was released in 2007.

Cowperthwaite said he had drunk several beers and didn't remember driving into the crowd. Police said over two dozen were injured

The 38-year-old Cowperthwaite was arrested in July in Clermont County. A court official said Tuesday that Cowperthwaite pleaded no contest to driving with a suspended license and was sentenced to 180 days. He has no attorney.